If you have the time and inclination, we recommend checking out Google’s own Webmaster Central Blog and reading through this article on the new “Panda” algorithm.
The gist of the message we’re reading into it is: do not attempt to game the system. Don’t develop your site’s content for the sake of chasing the Google search algorithm; because whatever you do, Google is always going to write code that brings searchers high quality results that are relevant. Attempting to follow and develop content that the current algorithm would enjoy can leave you up a creek when it changes again. And it will change.
The article dumps a ton of questions on the content creator’s lap, such as:
- Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research, or original analysis?
- Is the site a recognized authority on its topic?
- Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?
That said, this is nothing new. Google has always claimed to be a provider of high quality and content-centric search results. However, in development, it’s important to keep these questions in mind for the longevity of your content. Your customers do not always search the web, but when they do it’s almost always Google. Enjoy the article and stay relevant my friends.
